These are available from:

• WSU's Graduate and Professional Student Association's Legislative Affairs Committee
• The League of Women Voters of Washington 

WSU GPSA Review of Washington Initiatives, 2024

Legislative Affairs Committee Members: Shah Alam, Edmund Larbi Afari, Malachi Chukwu, Aichatou Djibo Waziri, Arpita Sinha, Charles Egede Ugwu, Tathagata Pal (Chair)

What is a Washington state initiative?

“If Washingtonians are dissatisfied with certain laws or feel new laws are needed, they can petition to place proposed legislation on the ballot. The process is termed INITIATIVE because the electorate can initiate legislation. The electorate can either place a proposition directly on the ballot or it can submit the proposed law to the Legislature at the regular legislative session allowing the elected representatives an opportunity to enact the proposed legislation themselves instead of placing the matter on the ballot.”

What are the Initiatives on the ballot in 2024?

There are four initiatives on the ballot for 2024: Initiative No. 2066, Initiative No. 2109, Initiative No. 2117, and Initiative No. 2124

Below are a brief unbiased summary of each Initiative

Initiative 2066

What Does It Do?

Initiative 2066 primarily addresses the role of natural gas in energy use, heating, and building regulations across Washington State. The initiative ensures that cities, towns, and counties cannot prohibit or penalize the use of natural gas for heating, appliances, or other purposes in residential or commercial buildings. Additionally, it introduces several requirements for utilities to develop integrated system plans, focusing on energy efficiency, reliability, and emissions reduction while also protecting consumers' access to natural gas services.

Pros:

• Consumer Choice: The initiative preserves the right of consumers to choose natural gas for heating and other uses, maintaining flexibility in energy options.

• Energy Diversity: By not restricting the use of natural gas, it allows for a diversified energy mix, which can potentially stabilize energy costs and prevent over-reliance on electric sources.

• Economic Stability: It helps protect jobs and businesses that are part of the natural gas industry, including maintenance, construction, and utility sectors.

• Focus on Reliability: The initiative emphasizes the importance of system reliability in energy planning, ensuring that consumers have consistent energy access.

Cons:

• Climate Concerns: Critics may argue that it hinders progress toward fully transitioning to renewable energy sources and achieving Washington State's aggressive greenhouse gas reduction targets.

• Slower Decarbonization: Allowing continued use of natural gas could slow the state's efforts to reduce carbon emissions, which may affect long-term climate goals.

• Potential Costs to Consumers: While the initiative aims to protect consumer choice, it may lead to higher long-term costs if Washington State does not transition effectively to cleaner energy sources, especially as global energy trends shift away from fossil fuels.

• Conflicting Policy Goals: It could create tension with other state policies aimed at reducing carbon emissions and fostering green energy transitions.

How Will It Affect WSU Students?

• Energy Costs: WSU students, especially those living off-campus, may benefit from more affordable energy costs if natural gas remains a cheaper option for heating and appliances compared to electricity.

• Sustainability Efforts: For students involved in sustainability and environmental programs, this initiative may feel like a step back in the state’s broader decarbonization goals, potentially impacting academic and campus-led sustainability initiatives.

• Research and Innovation: WSU's engineering, environmental science, and energy-related departments might see increased opportunities to engage in research balancing the use of natural gas with renewable energy sources, or addressing system reliability and emissions challenges highlighted by the initiative.

• Career Impacts: The natural gas sector could provide job and internship opportunities for WSU students in fields such as utilities, energy infrastructure, and engineering, while also influencing the future of energy-related job markets in Washington State.

Initiative 2109

What Does It Do?

The State of Washington imposes various taxes to raise revenue to fund state government. Those taxes include the retail sales tax, the business and occupation tax, the state property tax, and various other state taxes. In 2021, the Legislature passed a law creating a tax on the sale or exchange of certain long-term capital assets, commonly referred to as a “capital gains tax.” The capital gains tax applies to only some types of capital assets held for longer than a year, such as stocks, bonds, precious metals, or artwork. The first $500 million collected from the capital gains tax each year is deposited into the education legacy trust account, which supports K-12 education, expands access to higher education, and provides funding for early learning and childcare programs. If this initiative is approved, this measure would repeal the capital gains tax law, and Washington State would no longer impose taxes on the sale or exchange of long-term capital assets.

Pros:

• Repeals Washington’s another form of tax: Washingtonians have overwhelmingly rejected an income tax 11 times, yet lawmakers disregarded the voters’ wishes and passed a capital gains income tax. Voting “Yes” on this initiative upholds the will of the people.

• Protects working families, small business, and tech innovation: If continued down this path, there is a risk of driving family-wage jobs and job creators out of Washington as they relocate to states with lower tax rates.

Cons:

• Cuts to education, school construction, and childcare: passing this initiative eliminates billions of dedicated education dollars – worsening school funding crisis, reducing access to affordable childcare.

• Cuts to higher education: passing this initiative will also reduce funding in support of higher education.

How Will It Affect WSU Students?

Most of the students in the WSU system do not pay any capital gains tax as they are all students and it is highly unlikely that they have one-time income of more than $250,000 at any time during their time as student. So, even this tax is prevalent, it does not directly affect WSU students. But it is highly probable that removal of this tax will impact the WSU students in a negative way. A large percentage of revenue earned from the capital gains tax is invested towards higher education. If this initiative is passed, the students in WSU will lose a large amount of state money that funds a part of their education. Also, this will severely impair other basic needs support from the state like the childcare which students with kids heavily rely on.

Initiative 2117

What Does It Do?

• Prohibit Carbon Tax Credit Trading: Eliminate the ability for companies to buy and sell carbon tax credits, which are permits allowing them to emit a certain amount of greenhouse gases.

• Repeal the Carbon Cap-and-Invest Program: Dismantle Washington State's existing cap-and-invest program that sets a limit (cap) on total carbon emissions and allows trading of emission allowances (invest) among companies.

This initiative aims to remove market-based mechanisms designed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by directly limiting and pricing carbon emissions.

Pros:

• Cost Reduction: Businesses, especially in energy-intensive industries, may experience lower operational costs without the need to purchase carbon credits.

• Competitiveness: This could enhance the competitiveness of Washington businesses by reducing regulatory burdens compared to companies in states without such programs.

• Utility Costs: Potential reduction in energy costs as utilities may pass savings from not purchasing carbon credits onto consumers.

• Affordability: Could make goods and services cheaper if production costs decrease.

Cons:

• Increased Emissions: Removing caps on carbon emissions could lead to higher greenhouse gas emissions, exacerbating climate change.

• Public Health Risks: Potential for poorer air quality, leading to health issues like asthma and other respiratory conditions.

• Reputation: Washington may lose its standing as a leader in environmental policy and sustainability efforts.

• Climate Costs: Increased emissions could lead to higher costs associated with climate change impacts, such as extreme weather events.

How Will It Affect WSU Students?

• Grants and Scholarships: Potential decrease in state-funded grants and scholarships related to environmental studies and research.

• Research Projects: Fewer opportunities for students to engage in state-sponsored research on sustainability and climate change mitigation.

• Course Offerings: Possible reduction in courses focused on renewable energy and carbon management due to decreased emphasis at the state level.

• Faculty Recruitment: Challenges in attracting and retaining faculty specializing in environmental sciences and policy.

• State Budget Shortfalls: Loss of revenue may lead to reduced funding for public universities, potentially increasing tuition and fees.

• Program Cuts: Essential student services and programs could face budget reductions.

• Employment Opportunities: Fewer green jobs in the state may affect students seeking careers in renewable energy, environmental policy, and related fields.

• Internships and Partnerships: Decrease in partnerships with companies involved in sustainability initiatives may limit internship opportunities.

• Engagement: Possible increase in student activism and advocacy as a response to environmental deregulation.

• Educational Dialogue: May spark campus-wide discussions on sustainability, ethics, and the role of policy in shaping the future.

Initiative 2124

What Does It Do?

This initiative seeks to give Washington State workers the ability to opt out of the government-operated long-term insurance scheme. This insurance scheme is also known as the WA cares and it is a mandatory long-term care insurance program for Washington State employees. This scheme requires most Washington State workers to pay a payroll tax of $0.58 per $100 income.

Pros:

• It gives freedom and choice to individuals: This initiative will restore freedom to Washington State workers, allowing them to decide whether to enrol in the long-term insurance scheme

• Financial relief: Some people may view the constant payroll deduction as a financial burden, especially for people leaving from one paycheck to the other. Hence, this will be a relieve.

• Inadequate benefits: Currently, the WA cares is capped at $36,500, and this is viewed as insufficient considering the long-term. Therefore, a yes vote will give individuals the freedom to pursue other comprehensive private insurance options.

Cons:

• Destabilization: If people are allowed to leave the WA cares, it can destabilize the scheme which will leave many, especially low-income individuals without adequate long-term coverage.

• Private insurance might not cover people with pre-existing conditions, hence leaving vulnerable populations without accessible health care coverage.

How Will It Affect WSU Students?

If this initiative is passed, students who are employed could opt out of the WA cares payroll tax, freeing up more disposable income. However, in the long-term this could affect students who choose to opt out because they might lose the long-term benefits of WA cares in the future.

                         

" Get clear, concise information on upcoming ballot initiatives through our summaries. Each summary covers the effect of your vote, a summary of the measure, its background, political, immediate and fiscal impacts have passed, and the key arguments for and against the initiative. make an. informed decision this election season!"

(links will open as PDF files)

Initiative 2066: Related to the Restrictions on Access to Natural Gas

Initiative 2109: Repeal Capital Gains Tax

Initiative 2117: Prohibiting All State Agencies, Counties, and Cities from Implementing Any Type of Carbon Tax Credit Trading  [Repeal the Climate Commitment Act (CCA)]

Initiative 2124: Opting Out of Long-Term Services Insurance Program

" The League of Women Voters is a nonpartisan political organization. We encourage the informed and active participation of citizens and government. The League acts in support of, or an opposition to, selected governmental issues that its members have studied. It does not support or oppose candidates, factions, or political parties. League members, as individuals, may support candidates of the political party of their choice. In order to protect the League's nonpartisanship policy, guidelines regarding the political activities of the Board of Directors are reviewed frequently."